This invention is related to a carrier for storing and carrying cylindrically shaped canisters, sometimes known as tanks, for containing compressed oxygen, MAPP gas, propane, acetylene or other portable soldering and heating torch fuels.
To our knowledge, carriers for a pair of propane bottles or canisters, commonly used as torches and normally having a diameter of about 2.875 inches and a height of about 10.25 inches, are not commercially available. Typically, the user will attach a nozzle on top of one canister and use it for heating or other purposes. When the canister is empty, he connects the nozzle on the back-up canister. The problem is that there is no convenient means for carrying the canisters. They will typically roll around in a vehicle, and are difficult to maintain in a stable position when one canister is being used and the other is in a stand-by condition.
When the canisters are carried loosely in a basket, the torch head or canister may be damaged.
The prior art does show some propane tank carriers, see for example: U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 367,960 issued Mar. 19, 1996 for "Safety Propane Tank Carrier"; and No. 402,466 issued Dec. 15, 1998 both to George Werbesky, Jr.; U.S. Design Pat. No. 280,258 issued Aug. 27, 1985, for "Carrier for Gas Torch and Fuel Tank" to Benson L. Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,954 issued Aug. 9, 1994 for "Propane Bottle Carrier" to Timothy M. Holub, et al. None of these is designed to support a pair of small gas canisters in both a self-supporting upright position, and to be carried by hand.